Our Trials
by Aquatic-Idealist
Summary: Your favorite Three Kingdoms personae, though expressed without revealing their names 'till the end of the chapter. This is meant to honor the more famous of these wonderful people AKA most are playable in Dynasty Warriors, except for the faction of Ch. 1
1. This Must End

Hello, everyone. This fic is basically a series of tributes to whoever I feel like writing about. Unlike my other fics, it is difficult to predict what I'll post in this "fic" next. It might be a poem dedicated to a couple, or a story spoken through the eyes of an entire army, or a song on behalf of a fallen commander. But you can be certain that each 'chapter' will have plenty of passion tossed into it. :P (And I'll probably add oneshots that aren't related to this collection, but that depends on my mood.)

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you enjoy what you read.

* * *

This Must End

"_Do you hear the people sing?_

_Singing the song of angry men?_

_It is the music of a people_

_Who will **not** be slaves again!_

_When the beating of your heart_

_Echoes the beating of the drums,_

_There is a life about to start_

_When tomorrow comes!" - 'Do You Hear the People Sing?' (Les Miserables)_

* * *

We watched our homes crumble to the ground.

We watched our love ones starve and twitch as food grew scarce and water turned brown.

We watched our villages burn in the summer heat.

And we couldn't watch anymore.

We put on those yellow scarves...

Drew our pitchforks and our hatchets...

And stood at attention as the doctor began to speak.

* * *

He spoke of justice, of love and honor...

He told us that we would liberate ourselves from Han's apathy.

The Emperor didn't care about our lives.

If he did, why would he let us starve? Why would he let us suffer? Why did he not try to help us?

If he really needed our taxes so much, he would have made sure we'd be able to pay him...

So we raised our weapons, and we cheered at every word he said.

Why would we protest Zhang Jiao if he was going to help bring us what we needed?

If Zhang Jiao was going to make everything right once more, why would we care if he'd dethrone that damn Han Dynasty?

Only those who were blind enough to listen to Han's every word would protest when Zhang Jiao stood against what Han failed to do for its people.

* * *

So we saw those blind sheep...

Those who would let Han starve its own people.

Those who _**liked**_ to see people die in the millions from sickness and hunger!

And we charged!

We attacked those fools!

We would prove to them that the people's words were the most important of all!

And since they wouldn't listen to words, we'd give them our fists!

* * *

The battle was fierce...

The carnage was worse...

We fell, failing our villages...

Our martyrs died, and He Jin lived...

Liu Bei, Cao Cao, Sun Jian, they all helped crush our dream...

Maybe we couldn't stop the Han from letting its people starve, but we sure showed them!

We showed them what we were capable of... And they would never forget our revolution...

* * *

"_When the beating of your heart_

_Echoes the beating of the drums,_

_There is a life about to start_

_When tomorrow comes!" - 'Do You Hear the People Sing?' (Les Miserables)_

**The Yellow Turbans**


	2. Son of Yan

Son of Yan

The smell of pork reeked from his hands as he picked up that spear.

As the men in green rushed forward to face the rebels, to face those who would destroy the order that Han had so valiantly protected, he ran with them.

His spear slipped through the ranks of foes, skewering several of them at once. Like a snake, it picked off its prey and took down its targets.

He roared as he swung his weapon, and friend and foe alike were startled by him.

Who could possibly hope to face him in battle?

* * *

A few years passed, and the city of Xuzhou stood strong.

He laughed as he sipped his jug of wine, and noticed Cao Bao standing there sternly.

"Why so serious?" He smiled at the man as he handed him a jug.

Strangely enough, he wouldn't drink.

Then this warrior got angry, and forced him to drink. After all, who would be stupid enough to refuse the blessings of wine?

Cao Bao looked terrified as he ran off, and the warrior sighed. What an idiot.

Then night came, and suddenly the city went aflame.

Enemies came from nowhere, and soon the warrior had to raise his spear.

But he was drunk, and he didn't know what he was doing as he flailed his weapon around...

And, just like that, Xuzhou fell...

* * *

He grew wiser as the seasons came and went.

Zhang He came with countless legions, ready to destroy the Han like his lord before him.

And the warrior would not let a 'kinsman' do such a thing!

When Zhang He, boastful coward that he was, refused to accept his challenge, the warrior simply sipped his wine.

And, like all cowards, Zhang He noticed that weakness, and then he became brave. (1.)

He flew forward to strike the drunk warrior, thinking that it was his lucky day.

But the figure he struck was merely a man of straw...

And the warrior attacked him from behind, and Zhang He was terrified...

He fled for dear life, and thus the men in green won the day!

* * *

His brother had been killed by those Wu bastards! (2.)

And yet his soldiers were such cowards. They had no want to avenge their commander...

He was furious indeed! He wanted to strangle someone! He wanted to avenge all those who died...

He went to sleep with bated breath and a troubled heart...

And, in the night, two worthless cowards... Two disgusting, treacherous serpents attacked...

Two of his own soldiers stabbed him in the night...

He died that night, died without avenging his brother... Died without fulfilling his destiny.

* * *

Years later, people would sing songs for this butcher.

They called him one of his country's greatest heroes...

Yet, in his eyes, he was hardly a hero...

For when his country needed him most, he had already been slain...

**Zhang Fei**

* * *

1. Contrary to what you might think, I actually like Commander Zhang He, quite a bit, in fact... But keep in mind that this is written from the point of view of an enemy of his. :P

2. Those of you who know me through my works should be shocked by that sentence. XD


	3. No Matter What

No Matter What

I saw you that day, in our hometown of Changshan...

You were a brave boy: Strong, confident, ever willing to destroy those who would bring an end to peace.

And I wanted to spend time with you...

But life simply forced us to walk different roads. I was married to Yuan Xi, and you went to serve Gongsun Zan.

But fate was unkind to your lord, and when Gongsun died you and I met again. My lord's father was more than pleased to have you in his army, and... And I was as well...

* * *

It was wrong, really. I shouldn't have thought so highly of you. My duties were to Lord Yuan Xi, yet I couldn't stop thinking of you. Yuan Xi was a good man, yes. He did not believe in ruthlessly forcing the people to do his bidding or killing whoever stood in his way, not like his father... Yet, yet he failed to take a stand when his brothers bickered. He failed to inspire people.

Not like you, _my General_...

Wherever you went, people would follow you.

No matter what, they'd stand by your side.

But, again, fate was cruel to you and I...

When Cao Cao struck, you turned to Liu Bei, while I _let_ Cao Pi have me.

Yuan Xi was a good man, and his family did not deserve to face the blades of Cao.

And so I married that man... The man whose appalling greed brings shame to the children of Xiahou Ying... (1.)

* * *

The years went by, and Cao Rui was born.

The years went by, and you became one of Liu Bei's finest officers.

Oh, Zilong, if only you knew...

I loved you, and it was wrong.

I loved you, even though fate would never let us be...

And even now, as I hold this poisonous bottle in my hand, I still love you... No matter what, I will continue to love you, even as death takes my spirit.

Alas, Zilong, if only fate was kind!

If only I could have been there for you...

Farewell, my love...

May Han shine as your banner marches forward...

May justice and honor finally prevail...

_Goodbye..._

**Empress Zhen (Zhen Ji)... And Zhao Yun**

* * *

1. Xiahou Ying is an ancestor of Cao Cao (because based on some historical records Cao Cao's father was actually a Xiahou by birth who was adopted into the Cao family.) He was one of Liu Bang's trusted officers. Liu Bang was the man who created the Han Dynasty. If Cao Cao was really a Cao by birth, he'd be a descendant of Cao Shen, who was one of Liu Bang's most trusted ministers. Either way, Cao Pi betrayed his ancestor's allegiance to Han.


	4. Be Loyal and Filial

Be Loyal and Filial

Son, I'm sure you've heard again and again of how your father was a hero and how he spent his life for our country...

First of all, don't let that dishearten you. But, more importantly, don't make his work be in vain... Don't leave his dream unfinished.

Zhuge Liang was a great man, a man of honor and talent far greater than many on this earth. I'm not saying that just because he was the man I loved, or because he's Shu's national hero... No... Those are facts. Those are the facts of our family.

Your father died with a purpose, Zhan. He died trying his best to stop Wei from invading... He died trying to retake the lands Wei conquered in the name of Han... Neither you nor I can ever understand the scope of his pain... You are his son. I am his wife. Yet, it's impossible for us to fathom that kind of hardship... We never had to go through anything half as torturous as that.

But I feel the grasp of death. His white hand reaches ever closer to me, and though I can't bat him off, I can write this final memento to you.

Be loyal, my son. Be filial, my son. Stand by your country to the end. Uphold the Han, and all that it stands for. Do not let those rebels of Wei, those who do not understand the meaning of loyalty take control of Sichuan. We saved this province from the chaos of tyranny and the pain of genocide. Now you must move in our place. Work with Jiang Wei... Try to find an end to this madness once and for all...

Avenge him... Avenge your father... But, most importantly, fight for what is right.

With deepest love,

**Huang Yue Ying**

* * *

No, I am not gay. I just like writing from the viewpoint of a girl from time to time. It's an interesting experience, and I always wanted to write about Yue Ying. Too bad it was her funeral letter/will thing, but I intend to make a personal tribute oneshot just for her, as I have for so many other Three Kingdoms personae.

Ironically, Wang Feng's Ying Xiong (Chinese for Hero) is playing in my headphones as I write this. A fine requiem indeed for this heroine, no?

* * *

At one point I considered ending this fic. That consideration has been revoked. This fic will continue with new characters given their respective spotlights. I hope you enjoy their miniature stories too.

- Aqua


	5. Fool

Fool

_I feel... So weak..._

_My spear... I can't lift it anymore..._

_Why...? Why must I fail now?_

Looking back, I've really been a fool.

Hundreds of years ago, the Great Founder Liu Bang carved Han from the bloody mess of Qin, gathering pieces of that wretched empire's territory together to form our great country. He fought Xiang Yu, a man who could be more than a match for this age's Lu Bu, and defeated that glorious warrior, making all Chinese feel the peace of unity and the pride of strength.

A hundred years after the Great Founder's death, the land collapsed once more. The Red Eyebrows snatched Changan and countless traitors tore the land to shreds, gathering pieces for their own selfish needs.

The people's agonizing screams wailed across the land, and blood filled the streets of every city.

But this time, Emperor Guangwu, Liu Xiu, rose and beat them off, restoring our peace and our beloved Han dynasty.

Now another hundred years have passed. We thought that this Liu Bei, successor to Liu Bang and Liu Xiu and founder of Shu Han, could save us all... He could liberate those misled by Dong Wu and tortured by Da Wei and lead them to a better future.

But Liu Bei failed us all.

I'm lying here, in a pool of blood, while my comrades of Han are slaughtered to the last man by the forces of Wei. The Prime Minister has spent every last muscle in his body trying to lead our glorious army to victory, but to no avail... We are losing this war. We took Tian Shui only for the traitor Sima Yi to yank it back into his grasp. Our men flee like rats running from a flood of tigers. Han is doomed. If we continue to suffer like this Han will not have a third moment of glory. Liu Chan, son of Emperor Liu Bei is not the next Liu Bang or Liu Xiu. Liu Chan is a fool and Liu Bei is a failure.

And I spent my life fighting for both of them... Was it worth it? Have I spent this life in vain?

A thousand arrows pierce the land, each arrow skewering a warrior in green. A torrent of blue washes over patches of green, slowly covering the land with its gloomy hue. We have failed.

I am General Zhao Yun of Changshan, Tiger General of Han, and soon to be a corpse in this fortress of Chencang...

Hear me, ye who hath chosen to listen to my tale. Do not make the same mistake... Fight for what you believe in, but know when to leave when that cause is finished.

**Zhao Yun**

* * *

Author's Note: I know that historically Zhao Yun died of illness shortly before the Battle of the Wuzhang plains (where Chencang would have been the main site of the Shu retreat), but I thought this would be a more fitting end for the legendary general.

Furthermore, yes, I'm still a Wuist, but it's fun writing about Shu characters and their points of view.

Don't worry, though, Wu characters will start showing themselves here. I'm thinking of including Da Qiao sooner or later.


	6. The Watcher Breaks

The Watcher Breaks

I think one of the most common sights we as noncombatants face is the sight of people dying: the sight of gurgling froths of reddish bubbles, the sight of men and sometimes women flailing about as their bodies face excruciating pain and suffering. Those are far too common sights in these times, nothing like the days of joy and calm only decades ago.

I hear that millions have died since the Yellow Turban uprising, and that more continue to die as our forces clash with the armies of Shu and Wei.

... I myself have seen too much death.

My husband, Sun Ce, once stood declaring that he'd liberate China from Cao Cao's grasp and Liu Bei's blind pursuit of Han glory. Han abandoned we of Dong Wu, so we rose to save ourselves. Why is that so wrong?

Those in Wei did the same, but many reports from our officers speak of horrible wounds lashed onto the peasants by Wei's personnel. If Xuzhou taught us anything, it taught us that nothing can stand in the way of Cao Cao, and those foolish enough to try to save themselves from his tyranny will die by the sword.

Many times I wonder if we can just end this war. Shu Han can cling onto their corner. Da Wei can continue to claim the central plains... And we of Dong Wu can live in peace alongside our beloved Great River.

But, as a woman, no one will listen to my words. Not even my brother in law.

My husband is dead, and my sister lost her husband too.

Come to think of it, my brother in law Zhou Gongjin had his flaws. His passion sometimes led him to do reckless things in spite of his wisdom and generosity. He tried to tear through Shu with his 'Two Kingdoms plan,' which was far too risky to implement.

But even so, Zhou Yu was a good man. A man better than most. He loved his sister, his comrades, and his people. He died for our people, he died for Dong Wu, and he died for my husband's dream.

My husband Sun Bofu was a greater man, I should think... For without his dream no one would have been motivated to reunite our beloved Dong Wu and have her strong enough to stand against her aggressors. We would have suffered the fate of the other provinces, torn to shreds among dozens of greedy wolves.

... And now he has left me, and this war has stolen my sister's happiness as well.

What did we do to deserve this? Why has heaven chosen to take the lives of these two men, both men who fought to protect their beloved, be it land or people?

But I realize how selfish I am. For every soldier that dies there is a mother or wife or sister with a broken heart. For every village that burns the number of agonizing screams raises tenfold. The beautiful yellow soil that has defined our people is red now, red because of our idiocy... Or perhaps red because of fate's pure cruelty.

How ironic that red is our nation's chosen banner, yet we are the least violent of the three kingdoms.

... If that says much...

Perhaps I am bitter because I am a widow. Lu Xun fights to achieve the peace we all desire, and he is working with Zhuge Liang in the west, who fights for the good of Han but is willing to fight with us against Wei's imperialist agenda.

But somehow it seems that this is all in vain... Wei is just too powerful, and Shu cannot be fully trusted as they fight for Han and not mutual prosperity. Even if we do survive, this war will continue to rob us of our lives. It will continue to pit man and man against each other, even if it is mutual support, and not mutual hatred, that will help the yellow earth recover from this nightmare.

I... I can only stand here, and watch as millions burn as my brothers fight for petty strips of land. Some say that we are born in the wrong era, and they couldn't be more right... All I can do now is pray, pray for a better life, for a bright future, but when the piles of bodies start overshadowing the trees, what good does praying do?

**Da Qiao**

* * *

Author's note:

One of the alternate (and technically mistranslated) titles for the famous Chinese classic Dream of the Red Chamber is The Dreamer Wakes. This title is a modification of that title which fits Da Qiao's situation better. Of the four Great Chinese Novels, I think that Dream of the Red Chamber and Romance of the Three Kingdoms are the better of the four. But the former still beats the latter by a slight margin. For the very best in Drama and Romance, you really should read Dream of the Red Chamber.

FYI, the four great Chinese works are:

Romance of the Three Kingdoms 三國 (No need for an introduction, basically the novel that inspired Dynasty Warriors. Has another video game series made by Koei based on it with the same name, and various anime remakes, along with the legendary Hong Kong manhwa The Ravages of Time based on Sima Yi's life.)

Dream of the Red Chamber 紅樓夢 (So awesome that no one feels good enough to make an anime remake, though there is a very old DOS video game for it, as well as a Chinese/Japanese Visual Novel that people curse for being too hentai-ish.)

Journey to the West (Monkey King) 西遊記 (The anime Saiyuki is based on this. There's also a hilarious Fighting Game variant too.)

Outlaws of the Marsh 水浒傳 (also known as All Men are Brothers. The video game series Suikoden is based on this.)


	7. This Axe

This Axe

"_It is the duty of a talented and honorable man to find a noble cause to fight for. If he chooses the wrong cause, he can blame only himself for his ignorance. Today I die, and in my idiocy mourning for me is pointless." - Tian Feng, Chief Advisor to Yuan Shao_

With this axe, a million lives have met their end.

With this life, I have taken far more than I've given.

It is said that he who ends a conflict without a single casualty is the greatest general of all, yet all I have seen is death. This axe has been stained red from years of slaughter and battlefield triumph... But that's all. I am merely a murderer with medals and prestige, but after killing so many, where is my honor?

My friend Guan Yu was in dire straights when we fought him at Yencheng. Had I known that Lu Meng was totally after his head, I may have not pressed him so cruelly, but I chose my lord, and he his, and thus we were forced to fight so heartlessly.

Now I lie in this cot, having been shot in the face by a traitor. But in the end somehow I can't blame Meng Da as much. Yes, he is a dirty coward with no genuine sense of loyalty, but in the end he has a point.

My lord Cao Cao was not a particularly kind man, at least not to the common man. He could be ruthless and cruel, Xuzhou can attest to that.

And as Meng Da has shown us, even though one can betray the nation of Shu Han, they are forgiving enough to accept one back. Or perhaps this is another of Zhuge Liang's schemes... If he is so farseeing, Master Sima will have to be far more careful...

I sense a haze covering my vision, and perhaps Tian Feng was right. You cannot afford to regret what you have done under the cause you serve, because if you do your regret for your "ignorance" will destroy you, as it did him. He chose the wrong cause, and unlike Feng Ji and Guo Tu, both dishonorable to the core, Tian Feng was unable to live long and perished underneath his lord's sword. Is that not a pitiful end for a strategist of at least Fa Zheng's caliber?

I chose my path of bloodshed and ruin, and thus I die today proud of that path. I have fought hard like a true warrior, like a true champion, and I will die with my glory and valor. Damn these wayward thoughts! I am not a murderer, I am a hero, and history will...!

...

**Xu Huang**


	8. If I Were Him

If I Were Him...

My sons are men now.

Zhao is clever and bright, while Shi is perceptive and thoughtful. I know that they will go far.

But, according to my mole, the same can't be said for Kongming's Zhan.

I wonder, if our roles were reversed, if I were Zhuge Kongming and he Sima Zhongda, how would we be different?

Would Shi and Zhao have had the chance to be as skillful as they are? Would they be carrying Zhan's burdens, expected to save their country just like their father?

Wei has always been strong, so strong that my "lord" has grown arrogant and foolish, but still not strong enough to crush Shu or Wu.

Wei has grown proud, so proud that it wishes to crush Korea and Mongolia when our rival states still have the chance to destroy us.

And this strength, and this pride has kept me and my family alive for so long... But what if I was Zhuge Liang? Could I maintain a tiny state like Shu against Wei's great might? Would my children be able to handle that great pressure?

My eyelids droop, and my wife puts her hand on my shoulder, begging me to rest.'

At least I have the luxury to rest.

I turn my head towards the south, towards my enemy, and I give him a sleepy salute.

"May you die peacefully, Zhuge Liang. No ordinary man could survive the daily torment you face. As your enemy, I still find it fitting to honor your willpower. Tch, The Sleeping _Dragon _indeed."

**Sima Yi**

**

* * *

**I spent about fifteen minutes at a cafe writing this, hoping to write something for Sima Yi since I'm not as interested in him (What Must Be Done, another of my fanfics, was the main thing I wanted to say about him, after all.) Hopefully you guys enjoy it.

Also, this is the shortest chapter yet. That will most likely change once I find someone I really want to write about.


	9. She's A Harsh Mistress

She's a Harsh Mistress

It is hard to appease my mistress.

It is especially hard to appease her in a world where people swing their swords and thrust their spears arbitrarily, in such a brutal and feral fashion. It's even harder to appease her when villages burn, death's stench fills the air, and people are too busy running to even think about her.

So that's why I'm here in this world. I shall be her loyal servant, ever spreading her vision throughout the land.

My foes look upon me with disgust and some fear. They do not understand her vision, and when I try to explain my purpose in life they laugh at best or try to kill me at worst.

My comrades are worse, actually. For they do not respect my views, they just respect my strength and agility on the field. They respect me when I risk betraying my mistress' desires.

Every time I slash away at a foe with these claws, I do it with style. Blood flows out, spraying the land and covering it in a pretty red hue. See, soil at best holds the colors brown and green, and some reddish tint, but it barely holds the truly beautiful color of blood, crimson red. It's a very dazzling and inspiring color indeed.

But maybe I do this in vain. Maybe no one will bother to understand. Still, I must do this.

Not for honor's sake, as that's a different thing entirely, but for beauty's sake.

Yes, Beauty is a Harsh Mistress.

**Zhang He**

**

* * *

**AN: Most likely the shortest chapter ever, but in all honesty I just wanted to update this and write about Zhang He, even though I don't really have much to say about him.**  
**


	10. I Will Fight!

I... Will... Fight!

They... Call... Me... Traitor...

They... Say... I... Scare... Everyone...

They... Never... Trust... Me...

I... Make... Plan... At... Xie... Gu... Pass...

I... Tried... To... Free... Changan...

Zhuge... Liang... Ignores... Me...

And... They... Forget...

Now... Wei... Is... Winning...

Now... Zhuge... Liang... Is... Dead...

We... Must... Save... Our... Nation!

Our... Home...

Our... _Beloved_...

They... Say... That... Zhuge... Liang... Ordered... Retreat...

They... And... _Him_... Are... **Cowards!**...

Rest... In... Peace... Prime... Minister...

I... Will... Fight... When... They... Will... Not...

They... Will... See... Who... I... Am!...

WHO... DARES... FACE... ME?...

...

**Wei Yan**

* * *

Let it be known that although I've abandoned most of my fanfics, I will update this collection whenver inspiration strikes me, as it has now.


	11. Expectations

The last chapter was incredibly short, wouldn't you agree?

* * *

Expectations

If there's anything I've learned in life, it's not to have expectations.

Now, you might find that strange, coming from someone like me, but I've realized that it's a very wise conclusion.

My tribe expects a lot out of me and my husband. We are two of the most powerful warriors this forest has ever known, and yet we were beaten by a scrawny "man" with a feather duster.

Yes, a man whose body is so pathetically weak that he couldn't break a child's nose defeated my husband seven times in battle. In seven skirmishes he led the Shu army into our lands, outwitting us at every turn. We even had the Great Chief Wu Tugu fighting alongside us, and even then we were defeated.

You'd expect that my husband, with his powerful claws and robust, massive body would easily crush Zhuge Liang if my husband tried to pat him on the back, and yet Zhuge Liang defeated us.

That most certainly dashed my expectations.

You'd also expect our tribe, with our powerful elephants, to make short work of the Shu army, even with Zhuge Liang's wiles, but warriors like Zhao Yun were able to hold us off and eventually capture us in combat. How's that for breaking expectations?

Now we are beaten, and Zhuge Liang tells us to behave and stay in our forest. We will never be able to prove ourselves to these northerners, and they will constantly laugh at us and claim that we are "barbarians."

Tch, those who fight dishonorably, using traps and ambushes to win their battles instead of genuine might and honest tactics are the real "barbarians."

But I can only say such things, a pity I cannot act on them.

Just you wait, Zhuge Liang. If you dare laugh at us to our faces, do not expect yourself to leave our sights... Alive...!

**Zhu Rong**


	12. A New Hope

A New Hope

Thousands of eyes turn to me.

Me! The "whippersnapper" who barely led troops in combat. They turn to me with pleading gazes and words of despair and fear on their lips. They cry for guidance, for hope, for something to inspire them to fight.

But what do I say to them?

My first teacher was the master of Fire. He was an admiral of the highest order, a strategist who sent Cao Cao fleeing for his life. He could hold his own against Cao Ren in hand to hand combat AND outwitted Jia Xu at his own game. My first teacher was a man whose mind was as sharp as his sword.

My second teacher was one of the most diligent people I know. He started out as a man with a poor education and a violent background, but grew to become an accomplished tactician who outwitted one of Han's best generals. He died shortly after this feat, but his triumph remains. Our nation greatly misses his loss as well.

And I stand on the shoulders of these two men... But can I uphold their glory?

The enemy is powerful and brave. They will not fall easily, and our allies are hardly reliable. Han insists on maintaining its power, caring little for the people's welfare, while Wei cares only for power, snapping at any who dare to challenge her.

And yet our warriors fail to trust in themselves, turning to me as though I have all the answers.

I turn my head to the heavens: Oh, teachers, why can't you be here to guide me now?

But that is not what they would do...

I am a strategist! I trained under two of my country's greatest commanders. Surely I will not fail!

Watch me, Gongjin of Lujiang and Ziming of Runan! Thy student shall prove himself worthy of your guidance!

**Lu Xun**


	13. Bugs On the Windowsill

Bugs on the Windowsill

_"There are many who claim the title of hero, but they are all unworthy. There are only two heroes in this world, you (Liu Bei) and I!"_

I look back on the great battles in my youth, when I crushed the foolish Yellow Turbans and smashed countless armies who tried to best me in combat, and for the most part I laugh.

But I guess it's fairly pitiful in some cases.

I had an old friend, Yuan Shao, who among the paltry, pathetic minor warlords who stood against me massed a sizable army. Indeed he lacked the decisiveness or wisdom to guide that army, but unlike the common rabble he still posed a threat for some time. It was Guandu that ended him, and it was the utter stupidity of his sons that destroyed his clan... Here I thought my old friend could have done better, made a difference with his power. Although I thought wrong, I can't help but regret not having faced the man I thought I knew.

Liu Bei ran from my mighty fist. He ran into the arms of Zhou Yu and Sun Quan, who somehow bested me in combat, outsmarting even Jia Xu. Liu Bei gathered Zhuge Liang by his side, and with that strategist carved out a small piece of the Empire for himself. Who would have thought that was possible?

Hah, I did... When I spoke those words in that plum garden I did not do so without rhyme or reason. Liu Bei was no common man, and unlike Yuan Shao he used his resources expertly, which has allowed him to maintain his corner even with what little he has.

One by one I squashed those bugs. One by one whole armies submitted before me, but it was Liu Bei, with his resourcefulness, and Sun Quan, with his many skilled subordinates, who resisted my might. Now I am old, and soon my time to leave will come.

If we are to convince the people that this madness will end and Han is destined to reform under the Caos, we must show them why we are superior. To this end, resources must be divided well, and we cannot spend our talents or our supplies on pointless projects. We cannot squander our advantages and thus allow those other two to take advantage of our failings.

Ah, Liu Bei. If only I had the chance to face you one last time. Among all the other bugs that I crushed against this fragile, worldly windowsill, you were the vicious centipede that wisely hid in the corner, biding your time to strike!

**Cao Cao**

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Do not be misled into believing that this collection has been abandoned. Rather, I have many other things to do in life, with college graduation happening soon. Somehow even though I've lost interest in fanfics (although you are greatly encouraged to visit my fictionpress account, with the same username), I can't help but want to finish this collection and give some more time under the spotlight for these characters.**  
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	14. My Great Clan

My Great Clan...

We Yuans once stood high above the common people, strong and proud against their miserable, smelly rags and rabble.

But fate seems to despise us now.

When I was young, I lived among the elite, the cream of the Imperial crop. I showed my skill in countless tasks, and even the Imperial family called for my aid when the eunuchs began to show their true colors. Alas! Neither the Empress Dowager nor He Jin listened to my advice to get rid of them, and thus they perished so early and so pathetically...

I crushed Gongsun Zan, scared Han Fu into submitting to me, and massed a great force unmatched by anything in the north...

Only to be betrayed by Cao Mengde.

He was my friend! He and I stood against Dong Zhuo! He and I knew each other since we were children!

And yet, he turned on me. We threw our armies at each other, and he was the one who prevailed. He secured the glories of the Empire, and in spite of my great army, what will I have in the end?

Nothing, and my sons will face a powerful foe to the south... I wonder if they can handle it. Shang is talented enough, but Mengde... Is as wily as they come.

The rabble once looked up to the Yuans, but now we are nothing more than jokes in their eyes. My cousin Yuan Shu died begging for honey as he died of thirst, and my lot is no better... My friend, why did it come to this? Why must fate betray the greatest clan in the history of the Empire?

Damn you, fate. Damn you, Cao Mengde... I should have been the ruler of the world!

**Yuan Shao**


	15. Responsibility

Responsibility

My eldest is barely eight years old, and with two siblings to compete with his mother finds her self more exhausted than not.

As their father, I should be watching over my children. I should be attending to their studies and showing them the ropes of life. Where their mother teaches them the fundamentals of good citizenship and morality, I should teach them skills and wisdom that goes beyond the confines of the home... I should be training them for the real world.

But I am a warrior, one who has been given the task of saving our people. I want to tell my son not to kill, not to commit murder and take life, yet I do this on a daily basis. My sword has tasted less blood than most of my men, but it has had its fair share of kills.

I am a scholar, but I am also a murderer. Many call me a hero, but many also curse my name.

And I doubt my duties as a 'father' will ever be properly attended to.

The Southland needs me, needs me more than ever, for a new foe lurks just over the horizon. He is greedy, he is powerful, he has been a terror to too many people. Warriors across the land have risen against him, only to fall before his all-consuming army.

I should be a father, a family man, caring for my wife and my children, but instead it seems I have to fight on behalf of _everyone's_ wives and children...

In the war room, my fellow tacticians have agreed that burning the enemy would be the most efficient way to crush that tyrant's war machine.

But as the flames consume everything they touch, as the charred smell of flesh and the eerie red glow fills the sky, can my wife look my son in the eye and say: "Your father is a hero!"

... Or will many villages curse my name for centuries to come?

**Zhou Yu**

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Sigh, this is it, people. I took forever to update, and I really can't bring myself to update any further. This was written in ten minutes as part of my personal requirement to complete this thing. I wanted Zhou Yu to end this series, and so he has... Maybe this isn't up to par with the rest. Maybe you're disappointed. I'm sorry, but although I've hardly lost interest in ROTK I've certainly lost interest in fanfic. In the end, I hope you enjoyed this.**  
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